CLYDESDALES N' CHRISTMAS: THE PERFECT COMBO

If it's even possible, Clydesdales get even COOLER at Christmas time.

Sure, they're pretty darn cool all year long, but there's just something special about seeing one or more of these big guys around the holidays.

Fresh off multiple seasonal events last week with one of our big guys - ACE - we saw it firsthand.

Enthusiasm for Clydesdales just kinda goes along with the holidays ... families are together, looking for memorable experiences, epic photos, and unique touches to make Christmas as special as ever.

Smiles around ACE at each of our events last week seemed contagious. And it certainly didn't hurt that he was all decked out in seasonal attire that, well, let's just say made him look VERY festive.

It's very cool for us at JFP Equine to be a part of such moments. We love this time of year and incorporating one or more of our 'big guys' into the holidays as best as we can.

For us, that is typically in one of three ways:

ON-SITE HOLIDAY CLYDESDALE EVENTS AT JFP EQUINE

We open our barn doors to experiential Clydesdale visits all year long at JFP Equine. But our 'Backstage' Meet N' Greets between Thanksgiving & Christmas come with a bit of an enhancement ... a themed background for EPIC holiday photos and a visit from FRED CLAUS, our 2,200 lb Clydesdale who loves to dress for the season!

(For a schedule of upcoming sessions visit www.jfpequine.com/meetngreet.)

OFF-SITE HOLIDAY CLYDESDALE EVENTS

As mentioned, we took ACE around the St. Louis area last week to multiple holiday events ranging from corporate events to a surprise holiday visit to someone's home. (Imagine, opening your front door to see 2,300 lb ACE the Clydesdales standing there ... pretty special stuff.)

Photo Credit: R&R Ranch Minis

Although each event had a different feel, they're all unified by the joy ACE brought to guests. More events are planned for this week, with some availability left between now and the end of the year. (Send us a DM if you'd like to request ACE at an upcoming event.)

A CLYDESDALE AS A CHRISTMAS GIFT ... REALLY?

Yes, there have been a couple of instances in recent years where we've gotten the call ... "I'm looking for something special for my spouse for Christmas ... do you have any Clydesdales available?"

Imagine the big red bow we had to put on each of those!

Not exactly a gift for everyone but in these unique circumstances it was something special for us to be a part of.

Who knows, we may get the call again this year ... if it comes to fruition we'll let you know!

One way or another, we hope you consider making your 2024 Christmas season a Clydesdale-sized one.

And if we at JFP Equine can help you do it, we'd love to be a part!

Happy Holidays!

10 THINGS WE AT JFP EQUINE ARE GRATEFUL FOR

It’s Thanksgiving … and time to reflect! Here are 10 things we are very grateful for, here in our barn at JFP Equine!

10. The sound of Clydesdales eating hay. It's our secret (and very effective) form of stress relief!

9. Our social media audience who follow us, engage with us, and enjoy the Clydesdale photos and videos we post.

8. The suppliers (local farmers, feed stores, tack stores, etc) that help fuel our operation on a daily basis.

7. The sound of Clydesdale shoes moving up and down our barn floor multiple times a day. It never gets old.

6. The festivals, corporate events, concerts, private family events, etc that made a JFP Equine Clydesdale part of their event this year. We appreciate you and enjoy being a part of making your attendees smile.

5. The town of Waterloo, IL and Monroe County as a whole for embracing Clydesdales and what we do. We've met and worked with some great people here ... everyone from local business owners to city/county administrators to neighbors/friends ... this community is a good one!

4. The STL region as a whole. Your love of Clydesdales is second to none, and we appreciate your support wherever our events take us.

3. All of our participants this year in Clydesdale 'Experience' programs that remind us how cool the breed is with their amazing reactions to being up close and personal. Thanks for supporting what we do. We've enjoyed meeting and spending time with each and every one of you!

2. Our clients who have bought Clydesdales from us throughout the year. Not only do we appreciate your business ... but your friendship as well.

1. The Clydesdale horse. Yes, the size, the beauty, etc. But even more, just the little things we get to see and experience every day in our barn, watching you in the field, or working with you during an event. You're pretty cool, and we enjoy just about every minute (except for the manure clean ups ... we could do without those!)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING everyone ... have a great day!

Photo Credit: Jim Descher Photography

‘CHORE TIME’ PROFILED ON KMOV

On Tuesday, Oct. 23rd, JFP Equine was lucky enough to get a visit from reporter Paige Hulsey of KMOV (Channel 4) to learn more about the CHORE TIME Clydesdale Experience. Three total segments were filmed. Check out one of the segments below:

THE STORY OF ACE

Just like people, each of our Clydesdales at JFP Equine has a unique story. 

We love to tell all about ‘em to visitors. It’s one of our favorite parts of our CHORE TIME Clydesdale Experience. 

And none of their backgrounds are more impressive than our resident superstar, ACE.

Most are surprised to learn that it’s actually the second time we have owned ACE … but more on that in a minute. 

ACE is originally a Canadian, born in the prairie province of Saskatchewan. 

The first time he came to JFP Equine was in 2016 as a BIG, young gelding with a ton (literally) of potential. 

The plan was to keep him for a few months, get him trained up and looking great for entry into the 2017 National Clydesdale Sale - an annual, Clydesdale-only sales event put on by the Clydesdale Breeders of the USA. 

And that’s exactly what happened. 

In April of 2017 we took ACE to the sale where he was presented in front of hundreds of potential buyers from across the U.S. and beyond. 

Buyers at these sales range widely from those wanting their first ever Clydesdale to seasoned owners looking to build, or fill holes in, their competitive show hitch. 

Although we had only owned ACE for several months at that point, we had developed some attachment. It was tough not to. 

Not only was he already an impressive physical specimen at that point, but you could tell instantly that his personality was pretty special. 

We didn’t want ACE going just anywhere. It had to be the right fit.

And boy did we luck out. The perfect buyer for ACE had their eye on him from the start, and ended up with the winning bid. 

That perfect buyer was HALLAMORE, a Boston-area company that has showcased one of the most impressive 8-horse hitches of Clydesdales in the world for decades. Lots of history, ran by very skilled and knowledgeable horsemen, with one of the BIGGEST bunch of Clydesdales you’ll ever see. 

Hallamore uses their Clydesdale hitch to promote their heavy-duty construction equipment brand.

ACE was going to be the perfect fit inside this well-known 8-horse hitch.

ACE in the Hallamore Clydesdale hitch. 

Although he took a little piece of our heart with him, he was going to a wonderful home - and he’d be lucky enough to travel around the east coast to various parades, festivals and events, performing in front of tens of thousands of people. 

A pretty lucky guy indeed. 

In 2023, after seven years of being a HALLAMORE Clydesdale, ACE had kind of done it all. He had logged lots of miles, proudly done his duty, and there was nothing left to prove. It was time for a little rest and relaxation. 

And when the call went out looking for a new home for ACE to settle into, we put our hand immediately up. Reuniting with this big guy would be a welcomed event at JFP Equine. 

I remember the day he arrived back at our stable, coming off the truck after a lengthy ride from the east coast …

Normally, it takes a day or two for new horses to get acclimated. 

But not with ACE. He strutted right into the barn and into his old stall like he had never left. He was quick to eat, to drink and relax. I think he was glad to be ‘home.’ 

ACE has been back now for over a year. 

ACE, backstage!

We like to refer to him as being ’semi retired’ with the emphasis on ’semi.’ We still keep him pretty busy with events not only at our JFP Equine barn, but off site as well at festivals, corporate events, concerts, weddings and parades across the St. Louis region and beyond. 

He’s living the good life, with the perfect mix of just being a horse AND still being on stage in front of eager crowds who want their picture with him. And we couldn’t ask for a better ambassador of JFP Equine or Clydesdales in general. 

We invite you to come check out ACE - all 2,300 lbs of him - and some of his Clydesdale buddies at one of our upcoming CHORE TIME Clydesdale Experiences OR Clydesdale ‘Backstage’ Meet N’ Greets. He’d love the opportunity to meet and hang with you!

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST HORSE YOU HAVE EVER WORKED WITH?

Love this question. Why? Because BIG is what Clydesdales and draft horses in general are known for. And visitors to JFP Equine are always intrigued by WHO is the biggest.

Our biggest currently is ACE. He stands approx. 18 hands 3 inches tall and is somewhere between 2,250 - 2,300 lbs of pure awesomeness. ACE is our showman … the one we typically feature at our on-site and off-site public events. Partially because he has the personality for it and partially, you guessed it, because of his massive size!

But who is the BIGGEST that JP (Jim Poole) has ever worked with or owned throughout the years?

"It’s tough to recall exactly. There have been a lot of horses over the years and a lot of big ones. But there’s three that immediately stand out …”

BIG JAKE: CLYDESDALE GELDING

"Jake was a Clydesdale gelding we had at Anhesuer-Busch and he was definitely the tallest I’ve worked with, standing at 20 hands high. A huge favorite of the many visitors we had. We kept him at the home stable as an attraction and for pictures mainly. He ended up being too big for one of our traveling hitches at the time!”

BUCK: BELGIAN GELDING

“Buck was a Belgian gelding I owned back in the late 1980’s as part of our Regency Farm Belgians in Forest, Ontario, Canada. Buck was an amazing horse … 19 hands high and over 2400 lbs. Thick and strong! In 1989 he was officially weighed as part of the heaviest horse competition at the North American Belgian Show in Toronto Ontario, coming in at - if I recall correctly - 2,424 lbs!”

CUB: BELGIAN GELDING

"If you asked me to rank my favorite gelding of all time, it may in fact be Cub, a massive Belgian. His combination of personality and size made him second to none. He stood at 19 hands tall, weighed roughly 2,375 lbs, and was part of our championship Alberta Game Farm show hitch that traveled coast to coast in competition. Maybe even more impressive than just Cub was seeing him teamed with his hitch partner Charlie, who was impressive in his own right at 19 hands, 2,325 lbs. What a massive pair they were … and they did a lot of winning!"

Cub is pictured here (with JP) after being unloaded in 1978 from an over 2,000 mile transport to the Alberta Game Farm from Toronto, where he was a huge part of the winning six horse hitch at the Royal Winter Fair. Sidenote, it was 40 degrees below zero that day … and it looks like someone forgot his gloves!

18-HORSE HITCH DAZZLES THE CALGARY STAMPEDE

You don’t see this very often.

It’s an 18-horse hitch, combining a 6-horse hitch from each of three different draft horse breeds.

And yes, JFP Equine’s very own Jim Poole is driving, with Dr. Al Oeming of the world famous Alberta Game Farm riding by his side.

The three hitches were:

- BELGIAN 6, owned by Fred Poole, sponsored by Alberta Game Farm

- CLYDESDALE 6, owned by Lawrence Rye Clydesdales

- PERCHERON 6, owned by Coral Laycock Percherons

The 18-horse hitch event took place back in the mid 1970’s at the Calgary Stampede at the request of Stampede officials as a special attraction, pulling three former freight wagons around the track.

It went off successfully without incident, as a group of famous chuck wagon racing outriders followed the hitch closely.

And in case you were wondering, THOUSANDS of spectators in a packed grandstand were there watching and cheering this incredible spectacle around the track.

A "WARM" DAY IN THE LIFE OF A JFP EQUINE CLYDESDALE

Do Clydesdales like it hot?

Let's just say, like most of us, they aren't a fan of extremes.

And given the choice between cold or hot, my guess is they'd choose cold over hot all day long if they could. 

Unfortunately here in the St. Louis area, we don't have much of a choice. Summers equal hot, humid days, which means we have to do our best to keep these big guys as comfortable as possible.

What’s a Clydesdale's primary defense?

Just like humans, they sweat. And it's the first thing we watch for when gauging how a Clydesdale is dealing with the temperatures. 

Sure, it would be nice to have air conditioned barns. But for most of us in the horse world, it's simply not practical.

So what can we do? 

LIMIT EXPOSURE TO THE SUN

It can be hot enough outside in the summer when you are in the shade, let alone in direct sunlight. So, on hotter days we try to take the sun out of the equation as best we can. 

That means bringing them in the barn out of the sun. It may be for all day or it may be for just part of the day when temperatures are the hottest. It just kinda depends on the day.

If we have Clydesdales that are outside on a hot day and, for whatever reason, aren't or can't be brought into the barn, we have open shelters they can access for shade. 

Clydesdales are no dummies. They know just what those shelters are for. Whether it's a hot n' sunny OR rainy day, we often find them in there just hanging out.

TURN ON THE FANS

Fans are mandatory to help keep these big guys cool in the summer time. 

Each stall has at least one fan ... and our Clydesdales know exactly how to position themselves under it to maximize relief. 

Even the shelters in the pasture have multiple fans, and we've got additional heavy duty fans for each end of the barn to keep airflow moving.

TAKE CLYDESDALE-SIZED SHOWERS

The JFP Equine wash rack gets used A LOT in the summer time. Not just to keep our Clydesdales clean, but to keep them cool as well. 

They love a nice cold shower (well, most of them anyway). It's cooling effect may be temporary but wow, talk about refreshing! It's not bad for us handlers either. 

KEEP THE STALLS & SHELTERS CLEAN

What makes the summer temps even worse for horses? Their worst enemy - flies! 

And what do flies love? Manure. 

We are always adamant about clean stalls but in the summer efforts are ramped up to give flies less reason to hang around the barn. 

Plus we just love forkin' manure anyway ... I mean, who doesn't? 

FLY SPRAY

Keeping the manure down is just part of the ‘fly’ equation. 

Are we ever going to prevent all flies from hanging around our horses? 

Yeah right, that's a losing battle! 

We just try to give our guys as much relief as we can. And a big part of that is fly spray ... typically multiple applications each day. 

Not only do we have spray bottles accessible to personally apply this deterrent to each Clydesdale ... but our barn is equipped with an auto system that shoots out spray at various points of the day. 

INSTALL BARN CURTAINS

Without an air conditioned barn, keeping as much breeze moving through the barn is a big key. 

Each stall has an open-air window. And each end of the barn has a big open door. 

Open windows and doors, however, come with an unwelcome issue - more flies and more birds. 

That's where KOOL KURTAINS come in.

They're an awesome invention that we just began using last year at each end of the barn and also in each stall window. They allow the breeze to keep flowing through while helping to reduce flies and birds coming in. 

Genius! 

We also believe they help filter the amount of sunlight coming in, keeping it a few degrees cooler. Every little bit helps! 

(If you'd like to learn more about KOOL KURTAINS let us know here and we'll pass along direct contact info.)

THE BOTTOM LINE

Clydesdales are very versatile and can get through the coldest or hottest days. 

But extreme heat is often one of their biggest challenges. 

Unfortunately there isn't just one perfect solution for relief. It's a combination of all of the above, and more, that turns HOT days into tolerable days for these gentle giants. 

INTRODUCING THE CLYDESDALE ACADEMY AT JFP EQUINE

We introduced our ‘Backstage’ Meet N’ Greet for meetin’, greetin’, pettin’ and picture takin’.

We introduced our CHORE TIME for those wanting an up-close-and-personal, hands-on Clydesdale EXPERIENCE.

And now we are introducing our Clydesdale Academy on a very limited basis for those wanting even more!

IT’S ABOUT AS HANDS ON AND EDUCATIONAL AS A CLYDESDALE PROGRAM CAN GET

Think about this ... you, under the guidance of JFP Equine managers Jim & Barclay Poole, learning what it takes to be a Clydesdale handler - with as much hands-on, interactive experience along the way as you can handle! 

Grooming ... decorating (braiding, etc) ... harnessing ... feeding ... and more … learning from decades and decades of experience along the way.

The goal? Some Clydesdale-sized FUN and interaction of course.

And enough learning/experience to consider yourself an introductory CLYDESDALE HANDLER by month's end. 

JUST HOW MUCH CLYDESDALE TIME WILL YOU GET?

It's a month-long commitment that includes four, once per week sessions of two hours each.

And totally flexible. Lock in the day/time each week that works best for you at the beginning of the month and let’s go! Weekday, weekday evenings or weekends are available. 

There is no commitment after your first month. Continue if you like or call it a day!

HIGHLY INDIVIDUALIZED ATTENTION

No more than one to two participants per session to maximize your personal Clydesdale time!

IS IT JUST A KIDS PROGRAM?

Heck no.

Adults who LOVE Clydesdales and who have always wanted to be around them are a perfect fit. 

But is there a minimum age? 

That’s a tough one. We roughly use age 15 as a minimum guideline, however we leave it up to the parents to truly decide if their minor child might be an appropriate fit. 

HOW MUCH DOES THE CLYDESDALE ACADEMY COST?

$499 per month. That’s four, 2-hour, weekly sessions (8 hours total) of highly individualized and very hands-on time and training with JFP Equine and our Clydesdales.

WANT MORE INFORMATION?

Whether you are ready to register or have more questions, please feel free to reach out to us here.

“DON'T YOU GET ATTACHED TO THEM?”

"DON'T YOU GET ATTACHED TO THEM ... ISN'T IT TOUGH TO SEE THEM GO WHEN YOU SELL ONE?"

It's one of the most asked questions we get from participants during a CHORE TIME Clydesdale Experience.

The answer ...

Well, how could we say no?

These big guys are pure awesomeness (most of them anyway Emoji), and they certainly grow on you ... especially when you spend morning, noon and night around them.

Of course, some of them grow on you just a little more than others. It's no different than people. You just naturally have a better connection with some than others.

Take ACE for example.

He's massive. Nearly 19 hands and approx. 2,300 lbs.

Sure, big on the outside ... but nothing compared to the size of his heart and soul.

He would seemingly do anything for us that he could.

Even visitors to CHORE TIME who meet him for the first time sense it immediately.

There's just something about him.

Luckily for us, he's not for sale. He's one of our mainstays at the barn. Heck, he's more than that ... he's a buddy!

So we don't anticipate having to say goodbye to him to a new home anytime soon.

But interestingly enough, we did have to say goodbye to ACE once.

This is actually the second time we have owned him. The first time was over eight years ago before we sold him.

It was tough to see ACE go the first time.

But we knew he was moving on to do some pretty special things for some special owners ... parades, festivals and events of all kinds in front of thousands and thousands of people.

Pretty cool stuff, and it was the right thing to do to give ACE this type of opportunity.

But when the chance came to get him back eight years later, we jumped on it. We knew he would be a great fit for our barn and our CHORE TIME program. And he walked back into our barn like he had never left.

ACE is a special example though.

We have to remember to keep things in perspective at JFP Equine ... selling Clydesdales is a big part of our business. And when it's your business, you can't allow yourself to get overly attached.

For many of the people that we sell to, it's their first Clydesdale. And knowing the joy it will bring them can certainly make things easier.

We just try to enjoy each and every one of them as much as we can while we have them. And do our best to find the best new home we can for them.

Wanna check out just how awesome ACE and some of his Clydesdale buddies are for yourself?

Come spend a couple hours of hands-on Clydesdale awesomeness at JFP Equine to find out! CHORE TIME Clydesdale Experience dates are being updated on our website as we speak.

Join us!

Don’t Take ‘CHORE TIME’ Too Literally

Recently, someone left us the following comment about our CHORE TIME Clydesdale Experience ...

"YOU WANT ME TO PAY YOU TO PET A HORSE, AND THEN DO YOUR CHORES?"

Ha, wouldn't that be a nice concept. It's not quite that simple though.

No, CHORE TIME is much more about the 'EXPERIENCE' than actual chores.

Getting up close and personal with world-class Clydesdales.

Learning about them, and spending time with them - in their world.

And weaving through it all the story of JFP Equine.

The result? Two hours of Clydesdale awesomeness.

Yes, there's petting. Lots of it.

Yes, there's feeding.

And yes, there's grooming.

But it's not so we can kick back in our rocker and watch all of our chores get done - ha!

It's all part of the 'EXPERIENCE' and getting hands on with these big guys.

We want participants to leave saying "I fed a Clydesdale' or 'I vacuumed a Clydesdale.'

You know, things that most people can't say they have had the opportunity to do.

Chores? Sure, technically I guess.

But I think most participants who have been through the program would consider them more like 'bragging rights.'

Funny story though, there was one time where the participants (they were younger) just loved to fork manure.

I could actually relate ... when I was a kid that's ALL i wanted to do!

So, we modified the program and let them voluntarily do a whole lot of forkin', ha! It was fun, and we all had a good time with it.

That's an extreme exception though ... not the CHORE TIME norm.

It turns out, Clydesdales are just pretty darn cool to hang out with.

That's what our CHORE TIME Clydesdale Experience is all about.

And we are super appreciative and proud of all the participants who have joined us and all the smiles (and many tears of joy as well - ya really!) we've seen because of it.

If you are ready to EXPERIENCE Clydesdales, we invite you to experience CHORE TIME!

Thanks for your interest ... and thanks for lovin' Clydesdales!

Photo Credit: Jim Descher Photography

The Birth Of The CHORE TIME Clydesdale Experience

"CAN WE COME AND SEE YOUR CLYDESDALES AND SPEND TIME WITH THEM?"

We've gotten these questions for years at JFP Equine.

We loved it. And we wanted to create a format to make it happen, not just for close family and friends who knew us, but for Clydesdale enthusiasts everywhere.

But it took us a while.

We wanted to do it in the right way.

Something different. Something unique. And something that would allow for a very special hands-on experience, typically not available or even thought possible.

That's when we came up with the CHORE TIME Clydesdale Experience.

Sure, there are opportunities out there to 'see' Clydesdales, whether up close or from afar.

But how many have the opportunity to truly 'experience' Clydesdales? Spend a couple of hours with them. Get to know them. Watch them. Listen to them. Take pictures with them. And even get hands on with the daily duties that care for them.

That's what the CHORE TIME Clydesdale Experience was meant to offer ... two hours of Clydesdale awesomeness in a unique, intimate setting of no more than four in a group.

Just don't let the words "CHORE TIME" fool you.

We're not putting you to work for two hours cleaning horse manure (if that's what you are thinking).

No, CHORE TIME is as much about pettin', snugglin', picture takin' and just simply spending time with Clydesdales, and experiencing BARN LIFE with this iconic breed, as it is about real 'work' of any kind.

We basically have three goals for CHORE TIME Clydesdale Experience participants:

1) Learn some Clydesdale fun facts.

2) Take part in hands on Clydesdale activities that give you some bragging rights amongst family and friends (I mean, how many can say they have vacuumed a Clydesdale??)

3) Leave with some epic pictures. (Yes, we will make you check and recheck your pictures to make sure ... and we'll retake if needed to meet this important goal!).

Oh and one other thing.

Every barn has its story.

The CHORE TIME Clydesdale Experience weaves two hours through a story of our own.

One that started with a young boy born into the draft horse industry in a small, chilly town in the middle of Manitoba, Canada (ya, wayyyyy up north).

And one that saw that same boy grow up and eventually take the reins of the world's most iconic horse operation, the Budweiser Clydesdales, complete with over 325 head nationwide.

(It was kind of like a small town baseball fanatic growing up to run the Cardinals or Yankees or Dodgers.)

So if you have always wanted to truly 'experience' Clydesdales, consider the CHORE TIME Clydesdale Experience.

Are we the biggest Clydesdale operation? The fanciest?

Nah.

That's not our goal at this point. (Been there, done that.)

Our goal is to bring the experience of Clydesdales to life for enthusiasts just like you.

And we look forward to your visit.

Check us out online for details.

Photo Credit: Daniel Zoernig Photography

CLYDESDALE MYTHS DEBUNKED

Part of our business at JFP Equine is taking one or multiple Clydesdales to regional events for photo ops. It might be a winery or a corporate event or maybe even a wedding.

We love it. Watching individuals young and old interact with this amazing breed of horse is pretty cool (sometimes it even gets emotional … we’ve seen tears multiple times … seriously!).

We hear stories about the first time they saw a Clydesdale or how they have never seen a horse this big.

But we also hear some assumptions about the breed that may be widely believed, yet aren’t necessarily true.

Want to know the three biggest myths we encounter?

Here’s a quick look:

MYTH #1: ALL CLYDESDALES ARE BUDWEISER CLYDESDALES

You would be surprised at how many people think ALL Clydesdales are Budweiser Clydesdales.

Or, maybe you wouldn’t. Maybe it’s something you yourself thought as well.

We actually get to see it firsthand at every event we take a Clydesdale to, whether it’s a winery, festival, corporate event or wedding.

It usually goes something like this …

An individual will walk up to our Clydesdale. Pet him. Take a picture with him. And then ask us if he is stabled down at the brewery, or if he has been in one of the Budweiser commercials.

When we tell them no, he is from a private farm in Waterloo, IL, many are shocked. 

They had no idea that all Clydesdales are not necessarily Budweiser Clydesdales. 

And they have no idea that Budweiser didn't create and trademark the entire breed.

I don't blame them. 

Anheuser-Busch, for years, did a tremendous job of marketing and advertising, perfectly and permanently affixing "Budweiser" and "Clydesdale" together in the minds of consumers. 

Heck, my dad Jim was a part of it when he was with Budweiser Clydesdale Operations for 25 years. 

With constant television ads and multiple Budweiser Clydesdale 8-horse hitches criss-crossing the country to hit every key event possible in a year, what do you expect. 

It's kind of like any and all facial tissue being called "kleenex." (I know I am guilty of that every once in a while.)

The truth is Clydesdales are a breed, Budweiser is a brand, and the two have had an amazing partnership for nearly 100 years.

But there are hundreds and hundreds of individual Clydesdales breeders across the U.S., and an estimated 3,000-3,500 Clydesdales in the USA (at least that’s what Google said the last time I asked) that don’t live at a brewery or haul a beer wagon.

MYTH #2: YOU CAN’T RIDE A CLYDESDALE

Au contraire.

Clydesdale riding is a thing, and it’s actually kind of on fire.

At an event with the general public though, it’s tough for many to fathom …

“What? No way. Someone actually gets up that high and rides that giant horse?”

The truth is that most individuals who purchase a Clydesdale from us these days prefer or REQUIRE them to be broke to ride.

Some actually find it more comfortable. Some like the power. And some like the special personality that comes with a Clydesdale.

And let’s not forget a main reason why the Clydesdale breed developed in the first place back in Scotland during the Middle Ages - to carry heavily-armored knights into battle.

I’ll be honest though. I don’t ride Clydesdales myself. Never have, and probably never will.

I’m more of a traditional ‘throw some harness on and let’s drive’ kinda guy.

And honestly, a decade or two ago, I would never have imagined that riding Clydesdales would become as popular as it has.

But it’s great to see. It’s spread a newfound popularity to the breed. And it’s quickly putting a dent in the common belief that Clydesdales are around simply to pull, haul or work.

MYTH #3: ALL CLYDESDALES ARE BOY HORSES

Yes, we actually get this a lot.

“Are all Clydesdales boys?”

I’m not really sure why this is an assumption by some.

Maybe it’s because Clydesdales are so big and powerful and the natural assumption is that this is a ‘male’ thing?

I dunno.

But it does come up at nearly every event we go to.

It would certainly make for an interesting story if all Clydesdales were born males. I’m not quite sure how that would go … if they would just hatch from magic Clydesdale eggs or if they would somehow just grow that way on trees (with heavy duty branches of course).

But the truth is there is no magic here and baby Clydesdales need to come from somewhere … and yes, that does involve males AND females.

So there you have it, the three most common Clydesdale myths we encounter at various events we take part in.

Honestly, it’s kinda fun to hear and address some of these assumptions.

We just appreciate the interest in this wonderful breed and anything we can do to help generate awareness and keep the conversation going, we’re in!

My Night With Two Budweiser Clydesdale Hitches On A Bridge

It wasn't just two Clydesdale hitches coming together. 

That night, it felt like an entire country.

In my travels and duties as Manager of Budweiser Clydesdale Operations, I had been fortunate enough to attend some pretty special events. 

But it was the emotion ... the creativity ... the purpose ... that made Sunday, July 3rd, 2005, like no other. 

Nightfall had set in downtown St. Louis, but the activity of the massive Fair St. Louis July 4th celebration in and around the St. Louis Arch grounds was abuzz. 

The Mississippi River was in plain sight and here I stood at one end of the EADS Bridge, which connected Missouri and Illinois. 

For the past two months, two of our 8-horse hitches had been criss-crossing the country, stopping at dozens of U.S. cities as part of the "Clydesdales Across America: Here's to the Heroes Tour." 

The purpose? 

To pay tribute to our troops. 

At each stop a "Here's to the Heroes" mobile unit was set up to allow thousands of people the opportunity to send video messages to U.S. military personnel around the world.

Talk about powerful. 

And the Clydesdales, just like they seem to do wherever they go, amplified everything along the way. The event. The platform. The message. The emotion. What an incredible response they received. 

July 3rd was set up to be the finale. The two hitches that had been traveling separately across the country for the past two months would meet, right here in St. Louis, atop the EADS Bridge. 

One hitch would start on the Missouri side of the bridge. The other hitch would start on the Illinois side of the bridge. And at roughly 9:15pm they would meet in the middle, high atop the Mississippi River, as roughly a quarter of a million people watched from the St. Louis Arch grounds below. 

Go ahead. Picture it. 

An enormous bridge connecting two states. 

The massive outline of downtown St. Louis, including the world-famous Arch, lit in the background. 

And the activity, noise and anticipation of 250,000 people below as two, 8-horse Budweiser Clydesdale hitches slowly strutted their way to meet at the bridge's halfway point. 

Shivers. Down. The. Spine. There's really no other way to describe it.

When those two hitches finally met in the middle, it was like the entire country was there. Watching. Cheering. Smiling. Crying. 

The roar felt below the bridge was massive. If past and present U.S. military members across the world didn't hear or feel it, I'd be surprised. 

I really have to hand it to our Budweiser marketing team. Sure, we at Clydesdale operations prepped and handled the logistics, but this was their creation. They had planned it for months. They knew the emotional outcome they were looking for. And on that night, I saw it delivered ... tenfold. 

Following the meeting of the two hitches on the bridge, it was time for a massive fireworks celebration. A Fair St. Louis tradition and pure icing on the cake for the evening. 

It literally couldn't have been scripted any better. And it couldn't have done a better job of pulling Americans together. 

Maybe more nights like that are needed today ... just a thought. 

Here's to the Clydesdales and people that made that night special.

And, most importantly, Here's to our Heroes. It was an honor to be a part of it. 

The Kick: My Most Memorable Clydesdale Commercial

"You want to do what???"

That was my reaction the day the Budweiser Marketing team came to me with an idea. 

"Jim, we need one of the Clydesdales to kick a field goal for a Super Bowl commercial." 

Right, and let's have one of them sing the national anthem while we're at it. 

That may not have been my exact reaction that day at the Budweiser corporate office, but it was close. 

I'd seen draft horses do some amazing things throughout my career, but kicking a football?

I thought about it though. And within mere minutes I was excited.

Because one of the things I liked best about working at Anheuser-Busch was that it taught me to think outside the box.

And thinking outside the box can lead to some pretty epic things – like being involved in one of the most memorable commercials of our time.

I was 100% in.

Now we just needed the athletes. In this case, very large, four-legged ones. We needed defensive and offensive lines, a snapper, a holder, and a kicker who could come through in the clutch.

At the time, we had roughly 300 Clydesdales in our herd. All were prototypical Budweiser Clydesdales when it came to color, and all had the size and strength that would make even Belichick or Madden salivate.

But it was a small group of roughly 10 who we thought had that little extra ‘star quality’ that we sent to the western U.S. to work with a world-famous animal trainer. Here they would be molded into football/tv stars.

But who would emerge as the infamous kicker?

”Marty.”

Yep. Marty. The famous Clydesdale with the not-so-famous name.

He was one of our hitch horses, trained to work in various positions on any one of our 8-horse teams. Little did Marty know, he was about to go down in history. 

I’ll never forget watching the commercial that day as it aired. I’m not much of a smiler, but, on that day, I couldn’t resist. What a win for our company, for our marketing team, for Budweiser Clydesdale Operations, and for the Clydesdale breed as a whole.

And for Marty!  He was an instant star. Everyone wanted to know who this Clydesdale was that kicked a field goal.

“How did he do that?”

“Did he really kick that?”

“Can I meet him?”

It would be a while before many got to meet the new star though. He was given several weeks off (with pay in the form of good food and treats of course!) in a nice open pasture for his accomplishment.

For several years to come our Budweiser Marketing & Clydesdale Operations teams continued to think outside the box. We went on a wild run of EPIC commercials that included Clydesdales in a snowball fight, a zebra refereeing a Clydesdale football game, Clydesdales taking a knee to New York City following 9/11, and many more.

Looking back, I’m so glad I was asked that day about a Clydesdale kicking a football.

I’m just glad they didn’t need us to go deep for six.

Draft Horses … and Elephants!

It wasn't always just draft horses for me.

Sometimes it was drafts - and elephants!

Yep, managing Belgian horses and overseeing elephants, all in the same day. Quite the combo, right?

It was back in my days managing the Alberta Game Farm, a major exotic animal park located just outside of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Sure, managing/driving/showing the farm's own championship hitch of Belgians was my pride and joy. They were a HUGE group of horses, highlighted by Cub (pictured below) who stood 19 hands high and weighed 2,300 lbs.

But on days when Cub and his hitch mates weren't quite ‘big’ enough, I always had an elephant like Tally (pictured above) nearby to make my day just a little ‘bigger.’

Although still young at the time, Tally was enormous, as you can see. Weighing approximately 5,000 lbs, she was one of the farm's main attractions (amongst others like guerrillas, tigers and polar bears too).

She loved her daily romps in the snow, even when it was minus 20 - which if you know much about Edmonton, is quite frequent.

And in the summer months, she thrilled thousands of adults and children, offering daily rides, doing media and making appearances.

I look pretty comfortable up there don't I? Well, I was - or at least as comfortable as I could possibly be on a 5,000 lb elephant. To be honest, Tally and I actually shared a pretty special friendship and bond.

There's nothing to me quite like having control of a 6 or 8-horse hitch of draft horses in my hands, entering a show ring or driving in a parade. But let me tell you ... being atop Tally on a regular basis came pretty darn close!

The Big Horse with the Little Name

There are some horses that I've had an instant connection with over the years.

Cub (pictured) was certainly one of them.

It was his size. It was his personality. And I guess it was also the fact that we did a lot of winning together.

Cub, to the best of my knowledge, was bred and raised by Harkness Farms in Ohio. But he eventually found his way to the famed Alberta Game Farm Belgian six horse hitch, which I managed, drove and showed.

The Alberta Game Farm Belgian six competed extensively across Canada in the late 1970's and 80's, promoting Al Oeming's famed Alberta Game Farm. Oeming was an ex-professional wrestler, wrestling promoter and zoologist. (Yes, quite the combo - and YES, quite the guy!)

In addition to managing the show hitch, I was also the assistant director of the Alberta Game Farm. That's right. My duties focused on the Belgians, but extended to polar bears, tigers, muskox, guerrillas, ostrich, etc. There were over 3,000 exotic wild animals across 1,500 acres, and it was open to the public year round.

As much as I loved dealing with bears and guerrillas (which was done very cautiously, I can assure you), taking the lines of that hitch was my passion. And Cub was my pride and joy. He was the foundation of that famed hitch. A massive wheel horse who stood 19 hands tall and weighed roughly 2400 lbs.

Winning was simply what he did. For three years straight our Alberta Game Farm six went undefeated across Canada, including annual trips to the 'biggie' - the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto.

Outside of the six, Cub and his partner Charlie were also frequent winners in heavy draft team classes. Even individually, he claimed grand champion gelding status at many of the same shows.

Cub's winning also translated to a bit of celebrity in the hitch's home base of Edmonton, Alberta. The community became very familiar with Cub, appearing at several special events and doing appearances on local tv stations.

Cub was indeed quite the guy. A true gentle GIANT - and a true champion.

I look at this picture and a flood of memories come back about that undefeated Alberta Game Farm hitch. Many horses over the years have made their mark on me, and I wish I was lucky enough to have a picture like this one to remember each of them by. But none greater than the BIG guy with a little name that we called Cub.

Good Enough to Win the Royal - and Then Some

If I had to guess how many draft horses I have bought from Keith Hobden in my life, I'd say over 100. 

Yep, that many. Mostly Belgians. And according to Keith, just about every one of them was "good enough to win the Royal" (as in Toronto's Royal Winter Fair).

I was deeply saddened by Keith's recent passing. And though it's been a while since I purchased a horse off of him, I still spoke with him frequently by phone. 

He was one of the greatest draft horsemen of all time. If you wanted to beat Keith in the show ring, you had better get up very early in the morning and eat your Wheaties. Matter of fact, you better stay up all night. 

Keith was a great friend, great person and master at building championship draft horse hitches. And a great example of that takes me back to my days at the Alberta Game Farm.

The Alberta Game Farm was a 1,500 acre wildlife attraction in Edmonton, Alberta with over 3,000 wild animals on display - and I was the director of farm operations. Owner Al Oeming was a zoologist (and a professional wrestler ... which is a whole other story). One morning Al approached me and asked if I knew of anyone that could build us a championship caliber hitch of Belgian draft horses to promote and show under the Alberta Game Farm brand. 

Well, sure I did. Me! 

Al quickly brought me back to earth. "And by the way Jim, we're gearing up for the busy tour season here at the farm, so it can't be you. You'll be busy." 

The first person I thought of to assist? Keith Hobden. He was based about two thousand miles away in Lindsay, Ontario, but he was the guy for the job. 

I phoned him with the request. Two days later, he told me exactly what he had - or could get. A deal was struck and a week later the truck showed up at the Alberta Game Farm with eight massive Belgian geldings, a show wagon, harness and even Keith himself.

There was one thing we didn't like. The breeching on the harness. It wasn't attractive. No problem. A new breeching arrived a couple days later.

That's what it was like to do business with Keith. His business sense and execution were second to none. 

"Jimmie." (Keith always called me Jimmie.) "This hitch will be very difficult to beat in the show ring." 

What an understatement. I was lucky enough to show the hitch across Canada over the next three years. We went undefeated, including the Toronto Royal. 

(Sidenote: The first year at the Royal, I was unable to attend because of my duties back at the farm. The late Eddie Freitag, another great friend and draft horse legend, showed the hitch to first place in every class.)

I still remember Keith saying "and by the way, go ahead and keep the old breeching. I will know where it is in case I need it for someone else one day."

Keith, you were one of the very best of the very best. A wonderful friend and a great mentor. I’m thankful for all of our experiences and, of course, the transactions. You will be missed dearly.

My 6,000 lb Retirement Gift

Some people may get a watch or ring when they retire. Others may get flowers or a nice bottle of wine.

Me? Well, I (happily) got something that certainly wasn’t going to fit in my pocket or atop my bookcase. Heck, it was barely going to fit in my barn.

What I was lucky enough to receive upon my retirement in 2010 was a Budweiser Clydesdale show wagon.

I was a pretty lucky guy. Certainly not your every day parting gift. But very little could have summed up my 25-yr career with AB Clydesdale Operations any better.

This particular wagon though, and it’s sentimental value to me, went well beyond my career at AB. It was once purchased and owned by my late father, Frederick G. Poole of Wawanesa, Manitoba, Canada.

Yep. He owned it for several years starting in the late 1960’s through the 1970’s, long before it came into the hands of Anheuser-Busch.

My father loved this wagon. He used it to show his hitch of ‘Fred Poole & Sons Belgians’ across western Canada and under the ‘Alberta Game Farm’ name from coast to coast.

And yes, as a young lad, it was quite a favorite of mine as well.

Aside from the post-1960’s history of the wagon I have come to know, the rest is kinda spotty. I know it is a 1900’s Studebaker freight wagon that was later converted to a draft horse show wagon. And to the best of my knowledge it was originally used to haul freight on the streets of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. When my father purchased it, he did so from longtime Clydesdale breeder Charlie Halliday of Paisley, Ontario.

Once at AB, it got a complete overhaul/rebuild at Nauman Woodworks in Columbia, IL prior to it being sent to the Busch Gardens Tampa Hamlet for display.

Apart from that, not a ton is known. So if some of you draft horse enthusiasts/historians who happen to be reading this and know more, I’d love to hear from you.

It’s a true beauty. Today it’s kept in a climate-controlled environment, polished at least three times a week and kept in immaculate condition. I can feel the history in it whenever I see it. And I’m lucky enough to call it my own thanks to Anheuser-Busch - the greatest company I could have ever been involved with. Sure, a watch would have been nice. But a little piece of my history was so much better!